An Unfortunate Lily Maid: Gilbert's POV
by welcometomymind99
Summary: Anne's unfortunate incident while imagining to be Elaine and the flat springs a leak, from Gilbert's point of view. Gilbert's thoughts about the accident and Anne rejecting his offer of friendship.


A/N: This is my first attempt at Anne of Green Gables fanfiction. I hope you like it! :) (There is some dialogue in this story from Chapter 28 of AoGG.)

Disclaimer: All rights go to Lucy Maud Montgomery and Sullivan Entertainment. I own nothing.

Gilbert Blythe, fifteen years of age, rowed leisurely down the pond below Orchard Slope. He was in Harmond Andrews' dory, for sometimes he let Gilbert use it to go fishing for trout and other fish that swam freely in the pond.

**An Unfortunate Lily Maid: From Gilbert's POV**

Today Gilbert was just taking a little trip down the pond, content to relax and enjoy the day. It really was a nice day. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing through the trees softly.

A little while earlier he had heard the screams of girls in the faint distance. He figured it was probably some Avonlea schoolgirls, playing a game at the bank of the pond. However, he hadn't seen anybody since he heard the screams.

Leaning back against the edge of the dory, Gilbert let the current of the pond rock him forward without rowing as he pulled an apple out of his pocket. Biting a large bite out of it, he picked up the oars again when he saw he was approaching the bridge.

What was that in the distance? He couldn't exactly see clearly what it was, but from where he was at that moment it looked like there was some large blob on one of the bridge piles.

When he got closer he could see the "blob" was a wet, shivering Anne Shirley, clinging to the bridge pile with all of her might. His first instinct was to worry-was she alright? But then he almost felt like laughing as he scraped up against the pile.

"Anne Shirley! How on earth did you get there?" He exclaimed.

The corners of his mouth twitched with the hint of a smile, but he also feel sorry for Anne. How long had she been desperately clinging to the wooden pile? Her fingers were positively white from gripping onto the pile for so long, and her face was even paler than usual.

He pulled as close as he could to the pile and extended his hand in her direction. Anne held her head high and stared at his outstretched hand for a moment.

Then something seemed to change in her mood-she seemed to sigh and just accept her fate. Taking Gilbert's hand with her small, wet one, she scrambled into the dory.

A disheartened, almost angry look was upon her dainty features and she tossed the crepe to the bottom of the dory as they rowed off.

"What has happened, Anne?" Asked Gilbert.

He wondered how on earth she had managed to get herself in such a predicament. Who knows what could have happened to her if someone hadn't come along! Why, she could have slipped off the pile and drowned!

Gilbert also had to admit to himself that he wasn't surprised at the feeling of utter sadness that washed over him at that thought.

He listened to Anne explain how they had been imagining; playing Elaine, and the flat had begun leaking. She sagely asked him to row her to the shore and he did so willingly.

"I'm very much obliged to you." She said haughtily as she turned away.

She had put her shoulders back; her wet hair clinging to her dress and a none-too-friendly look upon her face.

Gilbert sprung out of the dory and laid a hand upon Anne's arm. He was awful tired of being enemies with Anne. It was no use competing with her all the time, when all he wanted to do was to be her friend...ever since that day she had cracked a slate over his head.

"Anne," He said hurriedly, "Can't we be good friends? I'm awfully sorry I made fun of your hair that time. I didn't mean to vex you and I only meant it for a joke. Besides, it's so long ago. I think your hair is awful pretty now-honest I do. Let's be friends."

It all came out in one big rush. Gilbert felt like he had wanted to say those things to Anne for months and months now-maybe even a year or more. Finally they were out in the open-he truly had no harsh feelings toward her. He just wanted to be her friend.

Gilbert watched Anne's face expectantly, hopefully as it changed from being pondering and almost shy to hard and angry.

Her eyes flashed and she jerked her arm away from Gilbert's hand. Gilbert's heart started to beat faster-why was she getting angry?

"No!" She said coldly, "I shall never be friends with you Gilbert Blythe, and I don't want to be!"

Gilbert went from feeling expectant to feeling rejected and hurt.

"All right!" He hopped into the dory, feeling heat rising into his cheeks and his heart pounding in his chest.

"I'll never ask you to be friends again, Anne Shirley! And I don't care either!"

He rowed away as quickly as he could, his breath coming in short angry bursts. Of course he did care-that was why he got so mad. But he would never admit that to Anne.

How could Anne be so mean? He had apologized sincerely and she still looked at him with anger in her clear, imaginative eyes.

He couldn't think of what he could do it make it right, and at the moment he was too disappointed and hurt to think of any way.

As he rowed back home, a little grin crept onto his face. "Carrots," He whispered. "Carrots, Carrots, Carrots."

Even if Anne couldn't hear it, he still got satisfaction over knowing that he was saying the one thing that angered her most of all.

Even if all he wanted was to stop this petty foolishness and be friends with her.


End file.
